By Anees Bargouthi

RAMALLAH, Palestine 

The number of Palestinians serving out life terms in the Israeli prison system rose even further this week after an Israeli military court slapped four more Palestinians with life sentences, a Palestinian NGO said Thursday.

"The Israeli-Salem Military Court on Wednesday sentenced four Palestinians to two life sentences each -- plus an additional 30 years each -- after they were convicted of murdering an Israeli couple last October," Riyad al-Ashqar, spokesman for the Palestinian Center for Prisoners Studies, told Anadolu Agency.

"This brings the total number of Palestinians serving out life sentences in Israeli jails to 489," he said.

According to al-Ashqar, Israel generally doles out life sentences against Palestinians accused of killing Israelis or directing attacks that lead to the death of Israelis.

"[Palestinian prisoner] Abdullah al-Barghouti is now serving out a record of 67 life sentences in Israel," al-Ashqar noted.

Over 7,000 Palestinians are currently languishing in Israeli prisons, many of whom have yet to be charged or tried, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs.